The present invention relates to a device and method for the pick-up and transport of accident victims having a suspected spinal fracture. More specifically, the invention relates to a device for the immobilization of the spinal column of an accident victim during pick-up and transport.
When a victim with a suspected spinal injury, specifically a fractured vertebrae, is found at the scene of an accident it is important that the victim be picked-up and transported so that the edges of any fractured vertebrae are immobilized. This immobilization of the vertebrae is necessary to prevent movement of any bone fragments during the evacuation of the patient. Without such immobilization the spinal cord may be severed or damaged by contact with the edges of the broken vertebrae as they relocate themselves within the spinal column. Such contact of the spinal cord with broken vertebrae may result in further injury far more severe than that resulting solely from the accident.
When the victim's body is found in either a sitting or a twisted position the natural tendency is to cause the victim to lay in a horizontal position typically on a spinal or back board to protect the spine. This simple action, while well intended, does not protect the spinal cord. In fact, it may do just the opposite, it may cause additional and potentially more severe injury. The key to this concept involves the understanding that the ideal treatment for a spinal injury victim would involve immediate repositioning of the broken vertebrae so that the integrity of the spinal cord would not be put in jeopardy. Such re-positioning of the broken vertebrae, in order to be properly performed, must be done at a medical facility with the benefit of x-ray imagery. X-ray imagery will assure that the spinal cord is not damaged by the sharp edges of broken vertebrae during the repositioning manipulation. Each movement of the spinal column must be carefully monitored to assure that the spinal cord is fully protected. Clearly, the fewer the manipulations of the bone fragments in the spinal column, the lesser the chance for injury to the spinal cord. The intermediate re-orientation of a victim's body at the scene of an accident from the position resulting from the effects of an accident to a prone position resulting from the placement of the victim's body on a stretcher or backboard may result in an improper and dangerous intermediate manipulation of the bone fragments within the spinal column. The elimination of such intermediate manipulations would markedly reduce the chance for injury to the spinal cord.
Sitting or twisted body positions are often associated with victims of automobile accidents. If the automobile accident has caused the spinal cord to move near the jagged edge of a broken vertebrae, even the slightest movement of the fractured pieces of the broken vertebrae may sever, pinch or damage the spinal cord. Such slight movement of the bone fragments may occur when the body position of the victim is changed, even a very small amount. Typically, body position changes occur when emergency medical treatment personnel remove the victim from an automobile for placement on a transport device, such as a backboard, canvas stretcher or wheeled cot.
Despite the good intentions of emergency medical technicians or ambulance crews accident victims may be injured a second time by the movement or grinding of the segments of the broken vertebrae. Such movement or grinding may result in physical damage to the spinal cord itself or to the vessels supplying blood to the spinal cord. This second injury to the spine may have consequences far more severe than those resulting from the initial fracture of the vertebrae. Such consequences may be total paralysis or death. Therefore a need exists in the art to provide a device which will both immobilize the spinal column in the position assumed after the accident and also provide for the transportation of a victim with suspected broken vertebrae in the same attitude as found, thereby eliminating any dangerous and unneeded intermediate manipulations of the spinal column.
It must also be recognized that accident victims vary greatly in weight and size. Therefore, a further need exists in the art to provide a spinal immobilization and transport device that can accommodate a wide range of victim weights and sizes, while still affording complete immobilization of the spinal column during transport away from the accident scene.
Present methods of victim transport used by emergency or paramedical personnel include the placement of a "short backboard" or "long backboard" underneath a victim with a suspected injury to the spinal column.
The "long backboard" is used where the patient is found in a prone or in a semisitting position. To place the patient on a "long backboard" the first step involves physically lifting the victim. This simple act of lifting can cause dangerous internal movement of the bone fragments thus affecting the unprotected spinal cord and its blood supply. Such movement within the spinal column dramatically increases the potential for further injury. If the patient is caused to lie flat on the backboard, there is yet additional inter-spinal motion and the enhanced potential for severe injury.
For a spinal injury victim whose transport involves movement from a sitting position, such as in an automobile, there is also a false apprehension that proper transport of the patient can be obtained by use of a "short backboard". If the victim must be removed from the automobile any force on the pelvis of the patient may cause motion in the spinal column particularly at the point of fracture; hence the potential for greater injury caused by contact of the bone fragments with the spinal cord or its blood supply.
Once the patient has been moved to a medical care facility the patient must be moved again. This movement usually involves the lifting of the victim to a bed by 4 to 6 people who endeavor to lift the victim in unison. Any slight variation from a unison lift can cause further injury to the vertebrae or damage to the spinal cord by movement of the vertebrae fragments within the spinal column.
It is therefore an advantage of the built around body attitude immobilization and transport device and method of the present invention to enable both the transport of a victim with a suspected spinal fracture and the immobilization of the spinal column irrespective of body position, body attitude or body configuration.
It is yet an additional advantage of the present invention to provide a device which may be easily assembled and readily transported by emergency medical personnel.
It is still a further advantage of the device of the present invention to provide a transportation system and method which will prevent movement of bone fragments within the spinal column irrespective of the victim's size or weight.